Abstract: An artificial heart comprising at least one blood circulating pump having a transparent housing divided into two chambers by a diaphragm. One of the chambers is a hydraulic chamber having an inlet valve and an outlet valve which are connected to the circulatory system; the other chamber is a pneumatic chamber provided with a nipple for the intake and discharge of gas. The pump's pneumatic chamber has a transparent conductive coating, for example, of gold, applied onto the internal wall of said pneumatic chamber. Said coating and the surface of the blood circulating in the hydraulic chamber make up a capacitor whose capacity varies due to changes in the volume of the hydraulic chamber. Said capacitor serves as a blood volume transducer. The artificial heart includes a system for controlling the supply of gas to and the discharge of gas from the pneumatic chamber of said pump. The control system comprises an element which is sensitive to variations in the blood volume. Said sensitive element is an RC bridge.

Abstract: An artificial heart comprising a rigid housing whose dimensions and shape are close to those of the natural heart. A rigid central partition divides the housing into two halves corresponding to the right and left hearts, respectively. Each half is divided by a rigid lateral partition into two chambers. One of these chambers is adjacent to the central partition; this is an auricle chamber. The second chamber is between said auricle chamber and the wall of the housing; this is a ventricle chamber. Each auricle chamber is divided by a flexible diaphragm into two cavities. One of these cavities adjoins the central partition and is intended to contain a working medium. The other cavity adjoins the lateral partition and is intended to receive blood. Each chamber of the ventricle is also divided by a flexible diaphragm into two cavities. One of these cavities adjoins the lateral partition and is intended to receive blood, whereas the second cavity adjoins the housing wall and is intended for the working medium.

Abstract: The extracorporeal circulation apparatus in accordance with the invention comprises a plurality of pneumatic diaphragm pumps incorporated in parallel relationship in a single fluid-flow system of extracorporeal blood perfusion.The electronic control system of the arrangement which processes the EKG signals is provided with a control signal distributor for sequential pump actuation such that the priming time of each pump is prolonged, frothing and haemolysis of the blood is prevented, and the stroke volume of the apparatus is maintained at a predetermined level.